CSC UCC Filing System Down Again - Need Alternative Fast

How complicated is the direct SOS filing? I've always used CSC because our firm has the account setup but if their system is this unreliable I need alternatives.

Direct SOS is actually pretty straightforward once you get used to it. Just have to create individual state accounts but the portals are usually more stable than CSC.

Already tried calling - 45 minute hold time and then got disconnected. The debtor name should be fine, it's the same entity I filed the original UCC-1 for two years ago.

Same debtor name from 2 years ago might be the problem. Companies change their registered names all the time. Have you verified it against current secretary of state records?

Good point, I should double check that. Though you'd think CSC would give a more specific error message if that was the issue.

Never heard of that service. Is it reliable for catching name inconsistencies? I'm worried I might have a mismatch issue on top of the CSC system problems.

Super reliable. I upload all my docs now before submitting anywhere. Takes like 2 minutes and catches stuff you'd never notice manually. Especially helpful when you're dealing with corporate entities that have slight variations in their registered names.

This sounds like advertising. How do we know this service actually works and isn't just taking our money?

What backup options do you use? I need to get better prepared for this kind of situation.

Direct state filing accounts for my main states, plus I keep relationships with a couple other filing services. Never want to be stuck like this again.

That's a great idea. I'll call the SOS office directly and see what emergency options they have.

Most states discontinued paper filing years ago but some have exception procedures for system outages. Worth checking.

Exactly. And document everything - screenshots of error messages, call logs, timestamps. If there's any dispute later you'll need proof the system was down.

When did they get bought out? I hadn't heard about that but it would explain why their service has gotten worse lately.

I think it was about 18 months ago. New ownership seems more focused on cost-cutting than maintaining their infrastructure.

I'll try again this afternoon. Is there a way to pull up the exact name format from the original filing without going through CSC?

You should be able to search the state UCC database directly to see exactly how the debtor name appears on file. That's your gold standard for matching.

Or use that Certana tool I mentioned - it compares your documents to show any name variations automatically. Saves the manual lookup step.

How long did the state account setup take? I'm worried about missing my deadline while setting up new accounts.

About 30 minutes total including verification. Most states have same-day approval for filing accounts if you submit during business hours.

Thanks for the update! I'll try again now. Did you have any issues with the debtor name verification once you got in?

Debtor verification worked fine once I got to that step. The main issue was just getting the initial login to work properly.

Still getting error messages on my end. Their 'end of day' estimates are usually optimistic in my experience.

How does that help with CSC system outages though? If their portal is down, verification won't get my filing submitted.

It helps because you know your documents are correct before you start the filing process. No wasted time discovering errors when you're already under deadline pressure. Plus it gives you clean docs to submit through alternative channels if needed.

I'm still skeptical about third-party verification services. How do we know they're not just checking basic formatting?

It's way more than formatting. It cross-references entity names, filing numbers, dates, everything. Found a name variation issue for me that would have voided the entire lien if I'd filed it wrong.